Small Lady at Ceres
by persian85033
Summary: Small Lady is paying a visit to Ceres.
1. Chapter 1

Everyone was husking corn.

"I got a flint corn!"exclaimed Ceres.

She held up an ear corn with different colored kernels.

"Does that mean you get colorful popcorn?"asked Small Lady.

Small Lady and her parents had been on a progress by her grandmother, the Empress Serenity of the Moon Usually Ceres only viewed Small Lady. The progress Small Lady was making included a stop at the court of Ceres. One of the things Ceres had arranged in her honor, was to have a Corn Festival. Several ears of corn had been brought, and the girls were husking them. The ears were of different varieties, and one didn't know what type they got until they finished husking it.

"If you look carefully at the kernel when it pops. The popcorn itself isn't."Ceres told her. "You can color the popcorn afterwards. You get colorful cornmeal from it, though. Blue cornmeal from blue corn."

"Hmm."Small Lady looked a little down.

She got a piece of paper and her coloring pencils, while turning Ceres's ear of corn, examining its colors.

"They don't really have patterns, Highness."Ceres told her. "Just random kernels in different colors. Unless they're purple. Then it's _all_ purple."

Small Lady, who loved to color or paint, began to draw a picture of it with its colors.

"Not different colored popcorn, but is it good for popcorn?"asked Ceres's tutor.

Ceres frowned. Only trust her tutors to turn something fun into a lesson. When she finished husking an ear of corn, she was supposed to write down what type it was, and what particular things it was good and not good for. She suspected she might have to identify the kernels, as well.

"Decoration, hominy."she wrinkled her nose. Hominy was not a favorite of hers. She brightened, however. "Cornmeal? Blue cornmeal?"

"That's not flint, exactly. That's blue corn."her tutor said.

Ceres picked up another ear to husk, and nodded. Usually she was excellent at these lessons, but she might get bad marks on this right now.

"We get to make Christmas trees for my dollhouses from pinecones."she turned to Small Lady, ignoring her tutor.

She knew Small Lady liked art, so throughout her visit, they would be doing mostly arts and crafts. After they finished husking the corn, they would then be making different things with it. Using several other nuts and grains, as well.

She had chosen a few of her tutors and older girls at court, including Malwina and Fayruza to be the Corn Committee. They would be judging the projects the girls had made with the corn. Some made corn jewelry with the corn and other nuts, others glued corn and other nuts to paper, creating pictures, or glued them together, creating little sculptures, or pieces. The Corn Committee would be voting who they thought made the most creative pieces.

And at the end of the afternoon, they would be crowning the Corn Queen. Ceres had made what was a tiara made up of corn kernels, popcorn, acorns, pecans, as well as a rod with an ear of corn at the end, a ring with a piece of popcorn, and a popcorn necklace. She would be the one crowning the Corn Queen in a crowning ceremony.


	2. Chapter 2

It seemed very odd, to look up at the ducal throne on the dais, and instead of seeing Ceres sitting there, as first lady, seeing Small Lady, Ceres on the floor. During Small Lady's visit, Ceres would cede precedence to her, just as her mother ceded the Crown Princess or Empress. The Empress set a high store by precedence, Minako had told her. At her court, it by one's lineage that counted, rather than merit.

"Maybe when I come of age, Grandmama will let me preside over my own court."said Small Lady, as she looked around the room. "It looks weird from here."

As an asteroidal duchess, she was the heiress apparent to a planetary princess. Small Lady's mother, not Small Lady herself, was the heiress apparent to the Lunar Imperial throne. Instead of keeping her own court, she was at her mother's court, or sometimes visiting her grandmother's.

"Isn't it treason to speak of the Empress's death?"asked Ceres in perfect Lunarian, but strong Venusian accent.

Small Lady seemed to find the lisp and rolling 'r's in Venusian rather amusing, so Ceres spoke with her strongest Venusian accent. Her language tutors insisted on perfect pronunciation of all the languages she spoke, even when she was reading or writing in them, but Small Lady found her accent amusing, so Ceres deliberately stressed it. Her sentence came out more…"Ithn't it trrrreathon to thpeak of the Emprrrreth'ths death?".

"Oh!"Small Lady put her hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean-"

"I know what Your Highness meant."Ceres interrupted. "Your Highness wouldn't like me to get something for you, or perhaps introduce you to some of my court ladies?"asked Ceres.

"What is presiding over a court like?"asked Small Lady instead.

"Your Grace knows nothing of, er, court life?"asked Ceres.

To her that seemed like she wouldn't know anything of everyday life.

"I mean, being first lady. That must be different."

"To be first lady, those kinds of things? Having your very own court? . I have a mistress of the household, mistress of the wardrobe, a treasurer, a keeper of the keys, scribes. They keep most things running smoothly. I don't hold Drawing Rooms, or things like audiences often. I only get to hold Drawing Rooms every two weeks, and to give audiences every four weeks. Those are the only public duties I'm allowed. I'm also to show myself to the people, so I get to do things like cut ribbons at inaugurations. I make appearances at ceremonial events."

"I've been to Mama's Drawing Rooms a few times. It's boring because it's almost all grown ups."

"Mama and Papa have only recently given me permission. And I'm still too young to administer justice here. I do military inspections! Oh, don't you try to get out of anything even once, Highness! I did. I insisted I wasn't feeling well. Papa said they should cut my hair to help _before_ I got a fever. I got out of bed right then! I will never get sick when there are receptions to go to, audiences to give, receptions to attend to, or anything else! Imagine if he does have them cut it!"

"Would he?"asked Diana, sounding shocked.

"Oh, definitely! He and Mama always insist that duty comes before _anything_ else. He and Mama were only viewing. If they would have actually been in the room, he would have personally gotten the shears, and sheared it himself. I must always remember that due to my rank, I must set an example, to everyone in my court. And trying to get out of fulfilling my duty is not a good example to set for anyone. But I get to host balls, and attend receptions."

"I've never been to one."said Small Lady.

"I will give one in Your Highness's honor. And when there are visitors, I entertain them. I sing very well. And play several instruments. Those are part of my public duties as well. Most days…"she shrugged. "We have lessons. I have to go through my correspondence. I get lots of gifts from my mother's subjects. I like to go riding, or walking in my spare time."she was no indoor person. "We play billiards, cards. We can go to the theatre or the opera. Sometimes. I also get my portrait painted a _lot_! Mama and Papa love to commission portraits of me. I think I'm the most painted Duchess of Ceres! Most of them are at Magellan, however."

"I love to paint! I like to look at the collections on Grandmama's walls! Perhaps I could paint your portrait!"

"Her Highness is one of the best portraitist."Diana said.

"It would be an honor to have my portrait done my Your Highness."

Ceres took a locket she wore and opened it. Inside were miniatures of both her parents.

"I've never commissioned one, but I have many of my parents'. We have some painted together. That's at Magellan, though, not here."

She closed the locket.

"I like to view Mama and Papa, although I wish I could see them more."

"You don't see the Princess of Venus and Lord Kunzite more?"Small Lady frowned.

Given that she was part of her mother's court, she saw her parents very often.

"Well, no. I have my own court to preside over here. I _am_ Duchess of Ceres. And Lady of the Golden Blade. I view them. And we write _very_ often."

Diana nodded. She had not arrived with Small Lady, as she had first been allowed to go to Magellan to see Artemis.

"I know just what Your Grace refers to. I often view my father, as well. I hope to see him again before we return to the Moon."

Artemis served at Minako's court, and was at Magellan much more than he was on the Moon, where Luna and Diana spent most of the time.

"But Your Grace does me a great honor by visiting my court. I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

Ceres had many things planned in Small Lady's honor. It was another of her duties, to entertain guests, especially guests as Small Lady. She also liked getting to know the girl she would one day be serving as a guardian.

"Have you ever gone on a progress on your own?"

"That I've never done, Highness. I've only gone on progress with my parents. I didn't like it too much."she admitted. "You have to stop _everywhere_. But that's nice, I guess. You get at least a dozen gifts at each city or town. People love to see their royal family. It's important that one looks pleased to see them. Many came such a long way just to see us. And it's important to show oneself to the people. All the nobles want to entertain us, too. I will have to go on another such soon they tell me."she turned to Diana. "You should ask Artemis to make it a short one. I think he's the one who decides the itinerary."


	3. Chapter 3

"Does Your Highness paint on canvas?"asked Ceres. "Or with acrylics or oil?"

"I paint with ink as well. Pastels, and I am learning to sculpt."

"I'm not sure ink will do."said Ceres. "Or it could."

There was a table on which where pumpkins and squash of different colors and sizes.

"Squash!"exclaimed Ceres.

She led Small Lady towards some orange ones.

"Pumpkins!"

Small Lady and Diana looked at the orange fruits. Some of them looked big enough to sit on, which Ceres did.

"It doesn't collapse!"Small Lady looked astonished.

"Nope. They're pretty heavy, so I don't suggest trying to pick them up. Except for the smallest one."

She gestures for one of the valets to come and pick it up. He put it on one of the other tables, where there were many art supplies.

"This is why I was asking if Your Highness painted only on canvas. We're going to paint on the pumpkins!"

Small Lady picked up one of the smaller one.

"And we carve them, too!"explained Ceres.

"I've never known you could carve and paint vegetables! That's more fun that eating them! Ugh!"

There were many decorations to put on the pumpkins, including cotton balls, beads, stencil designs. Apart from painting and decorating them, some of the girls also opened theirs, and took out the pulp of their pumpkins. They drew designs on them and began to cut decorations on them.

"I love pumpkin carving! Mama and Papa allow me to take pumpkin carving lessons! Under the condition I don't neglect my other studies. I have profession pumpkin carvers."she told Small Lady. "You wouldn't believe the pictures and designs that can be carved into the pumpkins! Almost anything!"

Small Lady took one of the stencils and carefully penciled in the design. Carving out the design was a little more difficult than she thought. The skin of the pumpkin was much harder than it seemed. Ceres helped her with it. She was able to cut much neatly. For herself, Ceres had chosen a larger one, on which she was carving acorns around a horn of plenty. Very detailed, however. Not something easy, when one considered how difficult it was to cut the pumpkin.

"Er, on a hollow pumpkin?"asked Diana.

"I hope Your Highness will grace us with your presence at the next Cerealia."

Ceres gave Small Lady her pumpkin.

"They're only simple designs. They require a lot of time, but I would like Your Royal Highness to have this one."

The courtyard was full of the entire court laughing, as everyone worked on their pumpkins. Some girls proceeded to do more than one. Small Lady thought it was easier to paint or put designs on the pumpkins, rather than carving it. Later, someone gestured to Ceres, who nodded in response.

"I shall have my best pumpkin carvers show what I meant!"

Two valets carried another big pumpkin. It was much more to its size than its weight, as it was hollow. The design on it, however, was of Small Lady herself.

"Galaxy, it's certainly an improvement over the one I carved!"someone said.

"I think it's the most like you I've ever seen, Highness!"said Diana.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen!"

Ceres led them to the pumpkin patches.

"These are the giant pumpkins! They don't even grow plants this big on Jupiter, for all the Jovians pride themselves on their gardening!"

If Small Lady thought the pumpkins she had seen before were big, they were nothing compared to these others. These were positively giant. Some were big enough she could climb in. They were a little lopsided, though. While the others were perfectly round, these looked rather deflated.

"Are they to turn into carriages?"asked Small Lady.

"Goodness, no! Besides, that would make no sense! Or would it? Apples do, but _pumpkins_? The State Coach is like a giant apple, in reference to Aphrodite's Golden Apple. Aphrodite had the coach built in reference to the apple. She valued it so much! But _pumpkins_! Why, maybe I could have one made! I'll make sure it would be much more comfortable than Aphrodite's State's Coach, too. The only time I've rode in it is one of the worst rides I've ever had in my entire life! I'm never riding in it again! No matter _what_ Mama and Papa say!"she said vehemently.

Which was highly unlikely. All Princesses of Venus rode in the State Coach to their coronations. And several events, like their birthdays, and their weddings, as well as grand state occassions. The time Ceres had travelled in it was during a progress. People loved to see their royal family riding in it.

"And if it's a pumpkin coach, it should be from one of these! Most of them are given to me during Cerealia. Everyone presents their most giant pumpkins, and they are weighed and measured. The person with the most giant pumpkin gets a golden brooch, and will sit beside Mama, Papa, and me at the banquet. I'll show you the _biggest_ one! It's every Cerean's dream to grow a pumpkin to rival this one, or outsize it!"

She ran towards the center of the room, where on a dais sat the biggest pumpkin.

"It weighs more than two tons! Just think how much pumpkin pie! Not even one of mine have been able to outsize it. I have my own patch of giant pumpkins, as well."

"Can you carve on these, too?"

"I suppose one could. But they're better to ride in. You make boats from them. All you have to do is make a hole on the top to get in and out, empty it, and you put it in the water, and climb in. They float. Sometimes they add little motors in them. During Cerealia, we also do pumpkin races."

"But, Your Grace,"Diana asked. "if there is a lot of pie to be had from this pumpkin, why don't you make it into the pies instead? Are the winning giant pumpkins made into pies?"

"No. The winners are received into the Honor of the Horn of Plenty for that year. As Duchess of Ceres, I'm to keep some of the seeds from the winning pumpkin to grow in my own pumpkin patches. I always give some back to the one who grew the original pumpkin, and sometimes I raffle some, give them as prizes, or just hand them as I would anything when I visit farms and such throughout the year."she smiled mischeviously. "though of course, I always have some baked to eat as well."

"Oh, but what if you grow giant? As giant as the pumpkins?"giggled Small Lady.

"My, my, I'd need an even bigger palace to live in! But I'd get to eat real trees! Not broccoli, but real ones!"


End file.
